Challenge immerses pupils

Enjoying the Otepoti Rangatahi Business Challenge at the Otago Business School yesterday are...
Enjoying the Otepoti Rangatahi Business Challenge at the Otago Business School yesterday are participants Lisa Cowan (14, left) of Otago Girls’ High School, Nicola Dzadza (15) of Queen’s High School and Tilly Pearson (14) of Otago Girls’.Photo: Peter McIntosh
Pupils from Otago Girls’ and Queen’s High schools in Dunedin are spending three days immersed in the world of business.

The Otago Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), is hosting the Otepoti Rangatahi Business Challenge at the University of Otago’s Business School this week.

The three-day course, which started yesterday,

aims to encourage young people to learn about business and enterprise.

The challenge is run in five regions throughout the country each year.

It is the first time the programme had come to Dunedin. It brought together 20 year 10 pupils from the two schools.

Yesterday, the pupils looked at real-world business cases and were put into groups to create business ideas that will be presented to a panel of local businesspeople tomorrow afternoon.

During the programme, pupils would develop work-ready skills through a series of business-related activities and connecting with local Maori entrepreneurs, YES head of Maori engagement Ian Musson said.

"The goal is to really introduce what entrepreneurship can be for them," Mr Musson said.

"It is for them to realise that they have something to share in the business world but they probably have not been put in an environment to share it.

"We are here to support and push them through that."

The challenge would expose them to a business pathway after school.

"It will look completely different for most of them; some may go on and study business or some may start a business with their ideas.

"For us it is about sharing ideas and giving them opportunities that we wish we had when we were at school," Mr Musson said.

riley.kennedy@odt.co.nz

 

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